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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ What is a 3/4 cam?

Posted by: skline Dec 2 2005, 06:11 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1975-914-Porsche-race-car-2-0_W0QQitemZ4592964224QQcategoryZ6430QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Says it has a 3/4 cam, can someone tell me what the hell that is? Does that mean the cam broke and it's missing 1/4th of it? Kind of a cool looking car but if he actually raced it, wouldnt he know the actual specs of the cam? Or does he think everyone is stupid and will understand that BS?

/Rant off

Posted by: Phoenix-MN Dec 2 2005, 06:22 PM

Along with the full "Race" cam what ever that is also -

Posted by: siverson Dec 2 2005, 06:24 PM

3/4" lift?

-Steve

Posted by: bd1308 Dec 2 2005, 06:25 PM

QUOTE (Phoenix-MN @ Dec 2 2005, 06:22 PM)
Along with the full "Race" cam what ever that is also -

well i know that one...

a "race" cam has been coated with that zinc stuff...makes it appear yellow....and we all know that yellow is faster....

b

Posted by: SLITS Dec 2 2005, 06:55 PM

It is a 270 degree duration cam...........

In the old days , it was "full race" (not tractable on the street)... "3/4 race" (lumpy high idle, but driveable on the street), "Street Comp" - mostly a waste of money, and of course "stock"................

Posted by: Steve Dec 2 2005, 07:01 PM

QUOTE (SLITS @ Dec 2 2005, 04:55 PM)
It is a 270 degree duration cam...........

Thats what I remember from the old bug days and type 4's.
Roughly a 270-280 duration cam was a 3/4 cam and 290-300 duration was a full race cam.
I was running a 3/4 cam (285 duration) in my 2.4 liter Type 4 back in the 70's.
Kind of like a solex or E cam versus an S cam in a six.
Its an old term.

Posted by: john rogers Dec 2 2005, 07:07 PM

As Steve said, although I think it was originally based on the hot rod cams for flat head Fords. Now, please don't ask what a flat head is??!!

Posted by: SLITS Dec 2 2005, 07:23 PM

Are you effers trying to make me feel OLD?

Posted by: Aaron Cox Dec 2 2005, 07:24 PM

yes

Posted by: Elliot Cannon Dec 2 2005, 07:35 PM

Hey SLITS. Thanks for providing the youngsters with a clue.

Elliot

Posted by: SLITS Dec 2 2005, 07:38 PM

QUOTE (john rogers @ Dec 2 2005, 06:07 PM)
As Steve said, although I think it was originally based on the hot rod cams for flat head Fords. Now, please don't ask what a flat head is??!!

Flathead...

1.) The ideal woman ( set your beer on it ).

2.) An engine with VIB\

And Elliot /A-aron........

Posted by: Howard Dec 2 2005, 09:15 PM

VIB??? That'll send the yougin's on a trip. First member under 25 who knows what that means gets a date with Miles (or his goat)

Posted by: skline Dec 2 2005, 09:36 PM

I remember the term from the 70's and soon found out that real car guys didnt use that term, only ones who were wannabee car guys would say that. Real car guys would tell you the lift and duration of the cam they installed in their car. I just find it funny when someone uses that term, I think "Yeah, like you have any clue what is in your car"

Posted by: bernbomb914 Dec 2 2005, 09:54 PM

hey I go back to 21 stud or 24 stud

Bernie

Posted by: Howard Dec 2 2005, 11:07 PM

QUOTE (bernbomb914 @ Dec 2 2005, 07:54 PM)
hey I go back to 21 stud or 24 stud

Bernie

Damn! 3 Stromberg 97's just flashed in my brain. Had to hunt down on the web..

Attached image(s)

Posted by: jonwatts Dec 3 2005, 12:45 AM

Did someone say 3 stromberg's?

Posted by: Air_Cooled_Nut Dec 3 2005, 01:18 AM

oil "preasure", "coni" shocks, & doesn't know if the horn works (push on the friggin' horn pad, jack-o!) First it's "rust free" then later it has "minor" rust...we all know what that means

He comes off sounding like a stereotypical used car salesman

Posted by: Joe Ricard Dec 3 2005, 07:55 AM

Used car salesman... I always get a kick of cornering one of them guys and making them realize how stupid that statement really was.
Then a again the kid selling Mini's wasn't much to brag about either.

OH yea 3/4 race cam..... I used to have one of them. My 1st bug motor I ever built bought cam off shelf along with other bits. 1915cc Man that thing was fast.
Then I got a 914 and Holy crap !!!! BTW .500 lift 300 duration Port matched cc'ed polished and balanced 2.0L of furry. Yea those are all the key words.

Posted by: Paul Illick Dec 3 2005, 10:17 AM

QUOTE (skline @ Dec 2 2005, 07:36 PM)
I remember the term from the 70's and soon found out that real car guys didnt use that term, only ones who were wannabee car guys would say that. Real car guys would tell you the lift and duration of the cam they installed in their car. I just find it funny when someone uses that term, I think "Yeah, like you have any clue what is in your car"

I don't think so. The first hot cam I put in a VW motor, in the mid-late 60's, was a Crower 30-30 grind. Crower offered a 10-10 (mild) 20-20 (street comp) 30-30 (3/4 race) and 40-40 (full race) and that's how they were described for all cars, not just the VW's. And I remember the term from the 50's being used by real car guys, so maybe later the term "3/4 race" marked you as a wannabe, but not back then. It was just kind of a generic classification, so you didn't have to cite all the specs from the cam card. If you even got a cam card. Things have changed.